Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-20
NEW YORK LETTER.
BRIGHT rsEclLLIsos FROM THE ag.
fRaPaLITAs CRY.
Dhtingrishea compapy--A Boy
Absut Town.

lCorrespondcncc 81 the Richmond Dispalca.l
Nkw York, March 10, 1887.
vent 20 benefit performance the
other night in aid of The shattered for
tunes Of solemn Bohemian whose life
work thus for has been devoted to the
production by pen and brush of an un-
devisting s, ri's OF failures. Every
thing he has ever attempted in tho
direction Of literature, art, or the
drama has missed FIRE. When his mis-
fortunes became sufficiently numerous
to attract attention he was, in the Ian
euage of the programme, "tendercd a
testimonial from his many friends and
admirers"
This meant That after several weeks
OF hard work he succeeded in getting
number OF more or less eminent en-
tertainers TO agree to perform at his
benefit free Of charge There is n GER
tain body OF actors and actresses who
have become so thoroughly identified
in the public mind with benefits that it
is difficult TO associate them with any
other form of entertainment This
particular benefit was q success and
Melted the Bohemian 81 400. IL oc-
CURED Sunday night, and New York
is so prodigiously bored Sunday nights
that II will go anywhere for diversion.
The audience was composed OF all
sorts Of people. On my left were six
members Of famous family of mil
lionaires: on my right Ned Harrigan,
Nat. Goodwin, and rich oil-broker,
and directly behind me a widely known
gambler His face had been familiar
TO me for many years, but had never
before heard him talk. He is the owner
OF many valuable horses, an enthusiasts
tic sportsman, and the beau ideal of
the type that Bret Harte drew III the
character of John Oakhurst. His
face is clcan-cut, handsome, and en-
bellished by a long, silken, yellow
moustache. His light hair is parted in
the middle and brushed back from
white brow, and his big gray eyes have
an indolent and sleepy look. One
might pick him out for blass English
lord or the younger son OF great Rus
sian family, but never for what he is.
He lives at Delmonico's and INDUCES
in every luxury. 1t is not until he
speaks that one realizes that he is q
tough New York "boy," with an
amazingly wel-poiished and aristo-
cratic exterior.
. He sat there lazily pulling one end OF
his long nous tache with white hand,
on which q great diamond blazed, until
tall, majestic, and impressive woman
strobe out from behind the scenes, and,
folding her hands quietly, looked the
audience critically in the eye and
smiled. She was magnifcently dressed,
had a stunning figure and classical
face. While the crowd was staring at
her she puckered up her lips and began
to whistle in style that would have
caused negro hostler to weep scald-
ing tears of envy and chagrin. She
had the force of steam calliope, the
vim of freight locomotive, the shrill-
ness of dry axle, the gentleness of q
cooling dove, the softness of pheasant
at eventde, and the artistic tempera-
ment of Wagner She whistled an
opera er two. producing the effects Of
flutes, and topped off with chromatic
run that left the audience breathless
with amazement Then she nodded
with a quiet little grin and swept majes
tcally away.
"Well, b tn Twin smoke" said the
gambler, turning to his gorgeous COM
panion, .'Wha d v tink of dat 2"
"Ehgint. said the lady concisely.
"Well, it knocks me cold 1t shows
yer never too old T. learn. | bin on
The pave a hundred an forty years,
but / never seen a woman whistle like
that before. But it's good thing just
the same"
"Wby?" asked the lady.
because, said the gambler senten-
tiously, "she'll never loose her dawg'
He seemed unable to get over this
idea. and ended by advising his COM
panion to begin lessons in wbistling the
following day. 1t was while he was
lnnguidly pursuing his reflections in this
direction that tenor with one empty
coat-sleeve pinned TO his shoulder came
out and rendered "Non yer" in a
squeaky little voice.
why" said the gorgeous creature,
"look, he's only got one arm"
THAT'S all, " said the gambler, she
was caught in trap when young. 1t
took off his arm, an between You an
me I'm mighty sorry after hearin' him
sing that it didn't miss de arm an take
of de troat.
A little later he fell to musing audi
bly, about people whoperform at New
York benefits.
"Do' v know whad they do it for?"
be asked his sincere feminine admirer
ON his left.
Cause they're so good-hearted, "she
said, generously.
Mike, my child" said he. "The
fact is they're dead struck on them
selves, an they're only too glad t git
tn chance fer t make parade. None
OF these here fakirs knows the ole party
what's gisin' this benefit pertiklerly
wei. but they see that there's chance
fer to appear Sunday night in their
best clothes, have their names APP
pear in all the papers, give their friends
the opportunity VI StCliS tiiOhi az lhSh
brightest, and so on. don't mean {
say that they're averso to dom any one
good turn, but do say that half tn
benefits in town are owing t tn oppor-
tlni,y afforded t people t show OFF"
DISTINGUISHED COMPANY.
/ heard a story the other day about a
prominent young swell. He invited a
friend to midnight meal, and when
the friend hesitated the swell said by
way of inducement "If you will come
will introduce you to some Of the best
known men in the country. Among my
guests will be men whose names you see
IL the newspapers almost every day."
The friend pictured himself seated
at table with probably member OF
the Cabinet, two or three senators and
congressman, distinguished journalists,
and few well-known actors, and rea-
Oily accepted the invitation. Still he
wondered how such distinguished men
could consent TO be the guests of a
young man who possessed a limited in-
tellect, no particular charm OF manner,
simply because he had a rich father.
When he entered the room in promi-
nent restaurant where the dinner was
TO be served his surprise was all the
greater. There he saw lot OF men
with scars on their faces aud with
n n.